What is Easter all about?

Easter is also known as Pascha, which translates to Passover. The day Easter is celebrated is when Jesus resurrected from the tomb in which he was buried after three days. This day is dedicated to prayer and a special mass. To begin the week of Easter is Palm Sunday. On this day you can take a palm from a palm tree and make a cross out of it. Most Christians eat ham for their Easter dinner, but why? During the early days of Easter people ate lamb because of passover, but it slowly changed and more started to eat ham.

When did the tale of the Easter bunny start to show up?

The start of the stories of the Easter bunny is unclear, but it was estimated that the first story was told between the 1600’s and the 1700’s. The holiday started when Germans immigrated to America. Parents told the story of a big rabbit who laid eggs, so their children would make “nests” along with a hat with sticks and straw in it, hoping that the Easter bunny would deliver colored eggs. Like Santa Claus, the Easter bunny would bring a gift if they were good, and nothing if they were bad. The tradition is different around the world.  In Switzerland there is an Easter bird instead of the bunny. At least a bird is an animal that can physically lay an egg!

How do the Easter bunny and Jesus go together?

Simply, they don’t. But they can coexist. Passover and Easter are part of the Christian holidays celebrating Jesus Christ. This is also the oldest holiday for Christians. The Easter bunny, like most Christian holidays, stems from the Pagans. Easter is the start of the spring equinox, which is the time of new growth and renewal. One thing that both holidays have in common is dying eggs. Christians do it to represent Jesus’ blood, while others do it just to be creative and for tradition’s sake.

How Much? 

Lots of candy goes into a traditional Easter celebration.  About 3.3 billion dollars was spent on just sugary treats alone this year, which makes Easter the second biggest candy spending day (the first being Halloween). Easter is costing more money this year to meet the big food holiday. Eggs are ranging from the prices of $3.00 to $4.00 per dozen making it hard for people to dye real ones. The cost of food is also affecting the Easter dinner, making it neccessary to cut corners to make a big meal for the whole family.

Fun Facts About Easter!

• Easter eggs have been around since medieval times.
• The most expensive chocolate bunny was $49,000.
• Buying a new outfit for Easter is considered good luck.
• In 1953 it took 27 hours to make one peep. This was when they were all made by hand.
• In 1878 the first Easter Egg Roll was held at the White House.
• 76% of Americans think that the ears should be eaten first on a chocolate bunny.